Watercore on Apple
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Watercore appears as water-soaked areas within fruit as a result of over-ripening (high sorbitol content). It is associated with cool night temperatures close to harvest, large fruit size, high nitrogen levels, and high sunlight exposure. It also occurs when there are few fruit on the tree and the many leaves produce sugars that have only a few sites to be stored.
Watercore.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Harvest before fruit become overripe
- Mild to moderate watercore usually disappears in storage
